The sari is a timeless classic that has traversed subcontinental history, gracefully draping women belonging to all strata of Indian society, be it women who faced the carnage that defined Indo-Pak Partition, or high society soirees or modern-day cocktail parties. Tucked in at the waist, this ensemble that typifies traditional Indian apparel can be seen worn ubiquitously in narrow alleyways of modest neighbourhoods, or decorously covering the body in its genteel variations and glamorously swathed in formal get-togethers. As bridal wear, it is selected in red for the newly-wed bride, or a glittery white for a Parsi bride. Middle-aged women are more likely to go for the sophisticated look in subtle shades and the plain white sari is the garb for Indian widows. Yet, the sari remains a staple in nearly every woman’s wardrobe — in jacquard, jamawar, fluid chiffon, slinky silk or crisp cotton. Ever reliable, the pairing of yards of fabric with a short blouse simply never goes out of fashion.

While the traditionally draped sari will always be in vogue, fashion designers have long had a penchant for tweaking the garment here and there, giving it veritable makeovers. A slight change in draping, a bit of structure or addition of accessories transforms the demure sari from a family heirloom to a modern-day fashion statement. Here are some ‘sari hybrids’ that we have been noticing on local catwalks recently, meant purely for the bold-hearted sartorialist!

PUT YOUR PANTS ON!

The pant sari was devised by Faraz Manan some two odd years ago for a fashion show in Dubai, in an effort to appease the multicultural clientele that is attracted to an East-West fusion. In the avant-garde pant sari, the typical petticoat gets replaced by sleek pants. This newfangled approach to sari design quickly became popular both for the sake of practicality and attention-grabbing style; the pant allowed ease of movement and the tapered silhouette worked well for women with narrow waists and long legs. It was copied rampantly by other labels and duly trickled down to more generic versions in small boutiques. According to Manan, it has now become one of his all-time best-sellers.

Play a little with the traditional sari and see the transformation

FUSION OF EASTERN COUTURE

Maheen Khan, with a flair for designing — and wearing — saris, often dabbles with the outfit, also replacing the unwieldy petticoat with a smorgasbord of more fluid options. In 2014, for instance, her standout line ‘To Karachi With Love’ paired the sari with a multi-tiered cowl shalwar and a tung (tight) pajama. In another recent improvisation, Khan put together the gharara-sari to showcase at the Fashion Pakistan Week. As the name implies, a gharara is paired with a sari drape that has a shortened length to allow ease of movement. The free movement of a gharara merges with the feminine grace of a sari — a winning combination!

CINCH IT

Here’s a way of wearing a traditional sari in a different way: simply cinch the pallu down the front with a belt. One has long been seeing this style looking great on catwalks and on the red carpet, with the sari left hanging loose or folded into several pleats at the front. Almost every high-end atelier seems to have implemented this style — from Nilofer Shahid to Manan and Elan. While the addition of the belt makes it easy to change the look of your sari, this look is more flattering for women with toned, miniscule waistlines.

WEAR IT WARM

An HSY showcase at Bridal Couture Week about eight years ago had the models walking the ramp wearing elaborately worked, formal jackets over their saris. This amalgamation was head-turning and also seemed a pragmatic solution — perfect for the women too shy to show off their waistline, or for those who wanted to dress up in a sari for a winter wedding!

There’s also the functionality that the jacket provides; drape it at a wedding and then, work it with pants at the after-party.  

TO TOP IT OFF

An interesting blouse can make a sari stand out. High-street brand Generation, for instance, has been delving into saris for some time now and what is particularly noticeable about the designs are the blouses. Last year Generation’s Eid collection paired jacquard saris with loose, frilled tops. There was also the ‘Hydration sari’ that went viral on social media when Ayesha Omar rocked the look pairing it with a pleated top. The brand usually retails ‘fixed saris’ where the pleats are fixed in front, making the garment easier to wear. Full, bracelet-length sleeves add elegance to a sari blouse and a halter adds a dash of risqué glamour.

The sari remains a staple in nearly every woman’s wardrobe — in jacquard, jamawar, fluid chiffon, slinky silk or crisp cotton. Ever reliable, the pairing of yards of fabric with a short blouse simply never goes out of fashion ... While the traditionally draped sari will always be in vogue, fashion designers have long had a penchant for tweaking the garment here and there, giving it veritable makeovers. A slight change in draping, a bit of structure or addition of accessories transforms the demure sari from a family heirloom to a modern-day fashion statement.

But far from this milieu of hybrid upstarts, the traditional sari with its many folds and pleats, retains its grandeur: block-printed, worked with mirrors, embroidered, hand-woven or fashioned from basic cotton, wrapping oneself in a sari is a sure-fire timelessly graceful look.

Published in Dawn, EOS, October 22nd, 2017